Backstage 13: Notes on an Opera Program
by Aadler
Summary: Sometimes you can't see the trees for the forest.
1. Notes on an Opera Program

**Notes on an Opera Program**  
by Aadler  
**Copyright June 2003**

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Disclaimer: Characters from _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ and _Angel: the Series_ are property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui Enterprises, Sandollar Television, the WB, and UPN.

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To Do:

• conf 9AM — take extra blouse, deodorant  
• try to sched in-office massage bef. noon  
• Camber-Pyclet mtg 1PM — cashier's chk & surveil. photos, sep. folders — (reserve VB, in case neither is enough? consult HM)  
• send for dry-cleaning before 2PM  
• arrange to have office swept  
• ditto car  
• ditto apartment  
• arrange to have sweepers vetted  
• follow FtS case thru pleading? no current advantage, no visible future use — think on it  
• at least 30 min. at range — .32, .38, 10MM

Current Impressions:

• HM — avuncular, no tolerance, heart pumps ice water — leaning toward LMc (I think) but can still be swayed — sex a desperation move (inadvisable) but keep in reserve  
• LMc — hard, focused, soulless — wants to bury white-trash past under work & brilliance & ruthlessness — trying too hard, sure to break somewhere — keep watching for chinks  
• RP — yes-man — topping out, ready to fall — let it happen, use for small favors but w/out commitment — no threat  
• LMe — useful, but watch close — thinks he's smarter than he is — will run gofer if he believes it'll lead to advancement, or double-cross for same — possible patsy? think on it  
• AR — not my section, but promising — seems realistic in his ambitions, seems to know his limitations, & knows how to handle H'laat-tuuc — which way, reliable undemanding sex or controllable ally? — can't have both, decide by Tues.

Project Status:

All in hand, except for possible AI complications (hard to avoid, psychic tipoff means they can pop up anywhere) — wish we could just kill them, I hate prophecies — what about turning tables? — open attack forbidden, but make _them_ deal with distractions, complications — bkgrnd info thru FtS opens up possibilities — make use of SunD connection, move against _that_ bunch, get AI preoccupied w/events elsewhere — start them reacting instead of initiating, good diversionary cast if nothing else —

Even here, better to avoid direct action — exploit weaknesses, foment discord, nourish any potential problems — bringing them down gratifying but irrelevant, idea is to make a big splashy disaster, so aim for whatever contributes to disruption —

_Preliminary analysis_ (working from memory here, need more data):

• BS — undisciplined, no focus, Valley Girl w/muscle — weakness for sex, loses objectivity when she's involved w/anyone — bad experiences w/betrayal (father, lover [A], Watcher, sister [FtS]), could use to build paranoia, distrust — savior complex, wouldn't deal well if one of her inner circle were killed (ego would make her see that as personal failure) — martyr complex (still moaning _why me?_ when she's a major player) coupled w/superiority complex (she _is_ superior, just not everywhere she thinks), could work that to alienate her, build resentment —  
• RG — deliberately repressed, "wild" past — could be a mover & shaker, but lets himself be demoted to supporting role — intellectual arrogance? would certainly be justified if BS's prideful ignorance hasn't been exaggerated — little love life reported, but no eunuch, you don't play w/demons unless you have large appetites — chk possibilities w/in SunD crew, but he's probably insulated himself against that, so temptation from outside would be better approach — fired by Watchers (too much "affection for his Slayer", chk that too), good source of injured pride & fears of failure/ inferiority — now at the age where men start to question self/ motives/ achievements, ripe for turning if proper pressure applied —  
• XH — disregard except for ways he might be used to trigger others (BS's martyr complex, RG's pseudo-father issues, WR's sexual ambiguity) — non-player, not important —  
• A? — former demon? no such thing — chk for psychiatric history — no ideas now, see what develops w/better info —  
• WR — rich field for exploitation — violating her ancestral religion w/Wicca hobby, violating her moral upbringing w/girl-girl indulgences, & still sees herself as the "good" one of the bunch — enough mystical capacity reported to make her useful for stirring things up, even though she'll never be big league — said to be loved by all (FtS almost spitting over this part), but have to be some fissure lines there —  
• TM — little known — longer bkgrnd in earth-magic than WR, about the same level of power — weaker personality, easily susceptible to threat — chk family history, could be useful material — new to group, riding on WR's coattails, sure to be insecurities — make her resentful of them (pump up "outsider" status), or use her as a lever to pull WR away from them — move quick if at all, she won't be around long, just a passing tool for WR's gratification —  
• RF — too good to be true, Mom & apple pie & America — capable of some independent thought, or he wouldn't have separated from his unit (need more data there), but that won't hold — follower, not leader, wants someone to tell him what to do — if BS tires of having to give all the orders, he'll roll back to Uncle Sam — should be easy to manipulate, but best used as an accent rather than originator of conflict —  
• JS — mixed reports here — clueless victim, or firm foundation? — FtS no help, her own perceptions/ wishes scrambled — study closer, family always a good source for trouble, but really useful only there — outskirts of BS's life, unlikely to be anything else (except maybe as First Victim) —

_Scenarios:_

• Promote actual or apparent involvement RG-BS or RG-JS, possibly both at once — RG being current father-surrogate for BS, entanglements would be complicated & volatile —  
• Promote actual or apparent involvement WR-XH or WR-A?, maybe both — WR sexual greediness makes nice pivot point — don't forget possible WR-JS, that would really explode things —  
• Increase danger to (or even deliberately cause death of) WR, XH, JS, A? or TM — one or more fatalities, esp. the right ones, could open fatal rifts —  
• Promote alienation (separately or in complementary parallel) of BS, RG, WR, TM — all the big guns or those w/access to them — could do same w/RF, but that'll probably happen on its own & w/out much impact unless artificially enhanced — either create dissension w/in the group, or actually try to move one over to the Dark Side — RG would be most valuable, but hardest to get fully committed — TM would be easiest (if there's a backbone anywhere in there) but of least usefulness — WR best candidate overall, would make a worthwhile project herself if any real power was there —  
• Bring in "outsider" involvement to create external complications wherever possible — already happening w/WR-TM & BS-RF, but TM won't last long & RF won't have much impact — focus on RG for now, something to split his attention or bring his loyalties into question — _or,_get some significant player linked to JS, that would stir the pot — good move would be to aim ?Bryce at JS, or VBryce at RG if she should survive her father's tribute, or both — (monitor that one as it develops) —

Many possibilities — stick to First Principles, it's always about power, pride, or sex — they already have the power & have resisted being corrupted (unless RG's midlife crisis blossoms or WR's "awakening" extends past mattress gymnastics), & pride is best used in tandem w/other issues, but they're all vulnerable to sex — BS the stupidest (the first one is True Love, the next one is Still Trying, everything after that is self-delusion), but WR the most extreme & most promising — (actually, she's ego & sex & desire for power all rolled together, if she _had_ power to match the craving for it she'd be the perfect weapon) — they're heroes, think they're immune just because they're the Good Guys — haven't they ever wondered _why_ moral laws always focus on sex? that's the opening wedge for everything else — Good & Evil sounds grand, glorious, but you can't hold it together unless you're solid on Right & Wrong, no intern survives a week at WRH without getting _those_ priorities straight —

Worth following through — put LMe on getting more info — or, make him think it's his own idea, plausible deniability between me & HM in case it's seen as a waste of resources — hide _everything_ from LMc, he might use as ammunition (or worse, find a way to take credit for it) — work out more details tomorrow —

Weakness, it's always a matter of weakness — doesn't matter how strong they are, find their vulnerable point & strike there, they'll fall — best part is, they usually can't recognize it as a weakness, it's just part of who they are —

Shopping:

• acorn squash, ghee, shining noodles at market — erbit lungs from Commissary (marinate immediately, sherry & 1 tbsp white vinegar)  
• candles (dripless)  
• bath beads  
• extra cartridges from Ordnance, .32 only  
• bag cotton balls  
• new sheets — maybe Egyptian cotton this time? think on it

—

end

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Some people have indicated confusion regarding this story: too cryptic, the notes not making sense. If you're one of them, the next part will provide a listing of the abbreviations used.


	2. Abbreviations

Following is a list of the abbreviations used in the story. _Angel_ characters are in bold; all others, of course, are _Buffy._

**?Bryce** – **Magnus Bryce** – (the corporate wizard who attempted to sacrifice his daughter in the second-season _Angel_ episode "Guise Will Be Guise")

A – Angel

A? – Anya

**AI** – **Angel Investigations**

_AR – Not known – somebody we've never seen_

BS – Buffy Summers

BS-RF – Buffy-Riley

FtS – Faith the Slayer

**HM** – **Holland Manners**

JS – Joyce Summers

**LMc** – **Lindsey McDonald**

**LMe** – **Lee Mercer**

RF – Riley Finn

RG – Rupert Giles

RG-BS – Giles-Buffy

RG-BS – Giles-Joyce

**RP** – might or might not be **Robert Price**, mentioned as having been forced to eat his own liver after disappointing the senior partners of Wolfram & Hart.

SunD – Sunnydale

TM – Tara Maclay

**VB** – **Vanessa Brewer** – (the blind female assassin in the first-season _Angel_ episode "Blind Date")

**Virginia Bryce** – daughter of **Magnus Bryce**, and briefly Wesley's girlfriend

WR – Willow Rosenberg

WR-A? – Willow-Anya

**WRH** – **Wolfram & Hart**

WR-JS – Willow-Joyce

WR-TM – Willow-Tara

WR-XH – Willow-Xander

XH – Xander Harris

[If it's not already apparent, the "notes" were made by Lilah Morgan, of Wolfram & Hart, evaluating her current situation and possibilities for action.]


End file.
